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Birding is busy in Georgia this winter

SOCIAL CIRCLE, Ga. (Jan. 3, 2008) -- Amateur and expert birders alike are polishing up their binoculars and putting on warm jackets to prepare for this winters birding survey season. Georgians are invited to take part in several of these birding extravaganzas across the state. Participation is simple and free!

What will this winter bring your bird feeder? Participants in Project FeederWatch (http://feederwatch.org/) survey birds that visit their feeders from the second Saturday of November through early April. You can help scientists monitor changes in Georgia's bird populations by tracking birds at feeders in backyards, nature centers, community areas and many other bird-feeding locales across the state.

For those bird enthusiasts with busy schedules this winter, the Great Backyard Bird Count (http://gbbc.birdcount.org/) is for you! It takes as little as 15 minutes. Its free, fun and easy and it helps the birds. This annual event engages bird watchers of all ages to count birds anywhere for as little or as long as they wish Feb. 15-18. Reporting your count is also fast and simple just fill out an online checklist at the Great Backyard Bird Count Web site (http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc/).

Young birders across Georgia are gearing up for the annual Youth Birding Competition, a 24-hour bird-a-thon held May 2-3 at Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center.

Participation is free and open to teams ranging in age from kindergarten to high school. To help participants learn the birds of Georgia, contest organizers will pair pre-registered teams with experienced birding mentors to take part in birding programs, workshops and other bird-related events. By organizing and registering youth teams now, this free pre-competition program will help participants develop the knowledge needed to make the competition a success. The registration deadline is March 31.

Amateur and expert birders alike are polishing up their binoculars and putting on warm jackets to prepare for this winters birding survey season. Georgians are invited to take part in several of these birding extravaganzas across the state. Participation is simple and free!

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